Weekly RunDown #17

Ian Coreless interviews Peter Ksotelnick - Run Across USA Full and In-Depth Interview.  Also, Ian has a Review of 2016 in Trail, Mountain, Ultra and Skyrunning.

How about running the Dolomiti Extreme Trail race in 2017 .  See the 2016 video below.

While I posted about Miruts Yifter a couple weeks ago that the announcement of his death was premature, it appears now he truly has passed away:  Miruts Yifter "the shifter" Dies

Now this is some holiday Strava art

Some good ideas from Steve Speirs - What's Your Secret? - Oh yea I agree that Injinji socks are the best:)

Peter Defty Coaches Keto Endurance

Not sure how many international readers I have that live in England or those that want to travel there for a race.  If you fit the bill you can enter here for an Entry to the Surry Half + Kit .

A collection of comments at Mario Fraioli's Morning Shakeout page on the Sub 2 Hour Projects

From Dr. Maffetone a host of articles on Fat-Burning: Fat-Burning Journal Archives

Lots of Ultra info at this UK site: Run Ultra

And from RunUltra here is their 2016 Round Up... What a Year it Was

Another good article on Ed Whitlock from The New York Times:  85-Year-Old Marathoner Is So Fast Even Scientists Marvel

Haile Gebrselassie meant business when racing and now as head of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation he also means business.  "Distance-running great Haile Gebrselassie, who was elected head of the EAF last month amid discontent over mismanagement, told Reuters his administration has adopted a "zero tolerance" approach towards doping." 

This is Part 2 for the Podcast on The Intelligent Racer with Jeff Browning and in case you missed it here is Part 1


Santa going for an FKT on Camelback Mountain



Running Down a Record// Pete Kostelnick
Running Down a Record // Pete Kostelnick from Neal Johnson on Vimeo.



DXT 103 - Dolomiti Extreme Trail 2016 Official Video



Nice video from Salomon on Kilian Jornet



And lastly just because I think it is funny

Weekly RunDown #16

What would you add to this list: The World's 8 Toughest Races

Ian Corless writes about Jim Walmsley's Record Breaking Year of 2016

Nice, Flanagan, Keflezighi and Rupp are running Boston in 2017.  See below for a video of all the Americans running in 2017, looks like a great group.

Would seem pretty clear there was some course cutting in Honolulu, sad what people will do to get a BQ.

Doyle Carpenter won the Endless Mile 48 Hour in Alabama at the age of 77

If your reason for not running a Beer Mile was that you just do not have the right shoes, well your excuse is gone:  Brooks Unveils "Beer Mile" Hyperion Racing Flat.  Here is this years Men's Race & Women's Race

If you are running Boston in 2017 here is the jacket you can purchase to commemorate it: Sneak Peek: 2107 Boston Marathon Celebration Jacket

More on Nike's 2hr Marathon Project:  Running's Greatest Minds on Nike's Two-Hour Marathon Project

As we enter those cold winter months here are the 10 Commandments of Winter Running

Ivan offers basic concepts he uses to develop a training plan in 4 basic steps

Interview with Jeff Browning on Intelligent Racer

Tips for uphill running, or walking: A Trail Runner's Guide to Uphill Running

“This idea that long-distance running is bad for your knees might be a myth.” -  Study: Running actually lowers inflammation in knee joints


Americans running Boston in 2017





Sure would like to see this: 2017 Trails in Motion Film Festival




2016 Skyrunner World Series Round Up





If all goes well I will be able to run this race in 2017

Hood to Coast Relay & PDX to Coast Walk-Relay from Hood to Coast Race Series on Vimeo.



The latest Mountain Outhouse




Straight from Poland - The Lemkowyna Ultra-Trail

Weekly RunDown #15

Not sure how many of you remember Miruts Yifter, aka Yifter the Shifter, the Bronze medalist In the 72' Olympic 10,000 and winner of the 10,000M and 5,000M at the 1980 Olympics.  At 72 he is in the hospital and not doing well:  Celebrating a Living Legend: Miruts Yifter.  There are a couple videos below of Yifter and when you see him take off you will know why they called him "Yifter the Shifter."

What do you think; a publicity stunt or are they actually looking for this to be done? - Nike’s Audacious Plan: Break the 2-Hour Marathon Barrier in 2017 - Sure would seem the three would need to work together and leave it to one of them to get it, sort of like having super pacers.  That said I am not really for this idea.  Sure I would like to see someone go under the mythical 2 hours and I realize this is what was done, in some respect, to go under 4:00 in the mile by running a set up race.  But that is track and this is a marathon and what I think is missed, well I miss it, is the element of a race to the end.  While I like to see how fast one can go in the marathon I would personally rather see a 2:09 where the guys are duking it out to the end than a guy run alone for the last 10K to run a 2:02.  There is just something about the marathon and the element of survival and seeing who can win that makes a good race, not just a fast time.  Also, here are comments by Toni Reavis on the subject of a Sub 2 Hour Marathon as Nike is looking to do.  I like his referring to it as more of a Lab experiment than a race.

Phil Maffetone also writes on the 1:59 Marathon.  He has written a couple books on this subject.  One is  1:59: The Sub 2-Hour Marathon is Within Reach and the other is a short story called  Million Dollar Marathon.

Nice story about a guy, Gary Allen, who puts on a free marathon in Maine to help a town: “Who wants to run 26.2 miles through the Maine North Woods in the middle of December? And who really believes that doing so will make a lick of difference for a mill town on the ropes? This guy does.”

And here is an article on this years race: The Magic of Millinocket: Runners Get Warm Welcome on Cold Maine Weekend

Last weekend was a big one for women as Caroline Boller ran the fastest 50 mile trail run for a women at the Brazos Bend 50 in 5:48:01.  Meanwhile Gina Slaby ran a (pending) world record 100 mile at Desert Solstice in AZ.

As I contributed to this Kickstarter Campaign looking forward to see how they turn out in April - Enda shoes

Atsede Baysa and Lemi Berhanu Hayle of Ethiopia to return to defend their titles at the 121st running of the Boston Marathon on April 17, 2017 - also at the link is a short video

Steve Speirs' recap of his 2106 Cayman Island Marathon marathon win


Miruts Yifter's win in 1980 Olympic 10000M



Miruts Yifter's win in 1980 Olympic 5000m



The Ginger Runner talks to Caroline Boller about her 50 Mile best at Brazos Bend


2016 Girls Footlocker X-Country National Championship Race (Dec 10, 2016)


2016 Boys Footlocker X-Country National Championship Race  (Dec 10, 2016)

2016 Nike Cross Nationals Boys Championship Race (Dec 4, 2016)

2016 Nike Cross Nationals Girls Championship Race (Dec 4, 2016)

Weekly RunDown #14

Jason Fitzgerald interviews Travis Macy: Finding Adventure with Ultra-Endurance Pro Travis Macy.  Also, some good links from the show on his page.

Jacob Puzey Runs a World Record for 50 Miles on a Treadmill @ 4:57:45 (5:56/mile pace), broke the old record by almost an hour  Jacob even ran a 2:38 marathon on the way to the 50 mile time.

The Fukuoka Marathon n Japan was this last weekend (12/4/2016) and you probably did not hear much about it.  Back in my day 70's and early 80's it was one of the go-to top marathons that many top marathoners from all over went to.  This years winning time was 2:08:48 by Yemane Tsegay and second was 2:08:57 by former world record holder Patrick Makau.  Here is a short video of the race.  It is in Japanese but you do not need to speak the language to tell the announcers are rooting for the third place Yuki Kawauchi who ended up running 2:09:11.

iRunFar.coms recap of the 2016 North Face 50 Miler

Some good tips for older, err... I mean more mature, runners:  Getting Better With Age

LetsRun.com's Week That Was for Nov 28th - Dec 4th, 2016 with stuff on Nike NXN, Fukuoka & an update on Ryan Hall.

Also, here is Runners World's article on Ryan Hall at the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships

33Shake article on Protein for Endurance Athletes

If you do not know much about fell running here is a good post from Strava: The Fells - Home, community and running in the Lake District.  I encourage you to read up on the Bob Graham Round as the 34 year old record of Billy Bland is pretty amazing and Ricky Lightfoot is looking to try and beat it in early 2017

Because diet is one of those uncontroversial topics, NOT, here is an article on the "D" word: The Importance of being a Furnace

News from The Running Event in Orlando Nov 28 - Dec 1, 2016: Whats New and Cool at The Running Event #TRE16 Part 1  &  Part 2

Joe Gray gives his Mountain Goats O' the Year Awards


Last 2+ minutes of Zack Miller finishing up this past weeks North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler where he set  a course record of 5:56:03



More from The North Face Endurance Challenge



How to be an Ultra Runner


The Crown Traverse



How about running this ridge, not me I got queasy just watching it

Interview with Kilian Jornet from 2014

Weekly RunDown #13

If you live in the Elizabethtown KY area, or want to stop by for a race, there are a couple great races you can sign up for.  First is a Trail Series at Freeman Lake (June, July & August) with races of 5K, 8K & 10K and the second is October   7th, 2017 and is the Elizabethtown Half Marathon.  Till 11:59PM on December 4th you can enter all three races in the trail series for $45 as well as enter the Half marathon for $45.

Wow, 197 guys under 66 minutes at a half marathon in Japan: Takeda Follows Osako as Fourth Man to Break 62 Minutes at Ageo City Half

Looks like Ryan Hall still wants to do some racing so it will interesting to see how he will do with his new training routine:  Ryan Hall to Run at XTERRA Trail Worlds in Hawaii

The Week That Was from LetsRun.com

While you may have already checked this out if not here is iRunFar.com's This Week in Running: Nov 28, 2016

A look at some trail shoes coming out in 2017: Best New Trail Running Shoes from the 2016 Outdoor Retailer Show.  From the same show here is the Best Trail Running Gear

More gear info from Ultra Running Magazines - Our Favorite Things 2016: Gift Guide

The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile Championships are this coming Saturday (Dec 3, 2016) and it should be a great race.  Hoping Jim Walmsley is doing well after all of his hard racing because if Zack Miller goes out hard like he usually does and Walmsley goes with him a record may fall and it will be one fast race.  Here is a preview of the race from iRunFar.com:  2016 The North Face 50 Mile Championships Men's Preview & here is the women's preview.  Update 12/3/16 - Jim Walmsley decided not to run as he was not rested enough after the JFK 50 - can't blame him with all he has done this year, it was a smart move to not run.

Mark Cucuzzella's reflection on his run at the JFK 50 miler.  Lots of good info and pictures of his run :  Happiness is Finishing the JFK 50 Mile and Still Feeling Good:)

Interesting to find an article such as this in a Business magazine, but good to see: Why a Guy who Runs 100-Mile Races Eats a High Fat Diet While Training

Thanks to Mario Faioli's The Morning Shakeout I cam across a page at teh Runner's World site that has posted 50 of what they see as their best articles from over the past 50 years: RW 50 Selects.  Wished they had some of their older original articles from farther back.

Looking like Under Armour wants to maybe break into the running market on a bigger scale: Dave Larson Joins Under Armour.  I know for me I like their tops and run in them pretty much all the time.  Have not tired their shoes but it will be interesting where they go with this and who will be the first big names in distance running to sign up with them.

Do you have journalistic skills Trail Runner magazine is looking for an Assistant Editor

On the longest day of the year (June 21st, 2017) ASICS Beat the Sun 2016 race took place in Chamonix
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Because I am not sure one can see too many videos of the UTMB.  This is not in English but you can turn on CC in English



Latest Mountain Outhouse: Quad Dipsea, Lottery Season, North Face Endurance Challenge Race Preview



Running On Air with Budd Coates | Altra Run Talks Episode 1

Two Week Test – LCHF Reset – Week 2

For info on the fist week you can go the previous post: Two Week Test – LCHF Reset – Week 1

So two weeks is done and all in all it went well.  As I said when I started this it was a somewhat modified TWT in that while trying to hold to the usual TWT items you are allowed to eat a few times I diverted from the list, as with an Apple, Walnut and Cranberry salad and a few other small items.  Even so I was pretty diligent to avoid the main items to avoid and to keep carbs low.

I think this second time around it went much easier since I was already much lower in carbs than I was when I did the TWT a year ago.  Thus there was a lot less stress from removing carbs from my eating.  Even so there were still times I wanted something sweet and had to just say no.  I think often this comes from eating something savory as for me at least that makes me want something sweet:)

One thing I found, that is sort of frustrating, is that when you eat out many places that have “healthy” food often go over the edge to in their desire to limit the fat.  For example; when you get a good salad with veggies and such all the fat you can get is in the Avocado, if you can get them.  If chicken is available it is seldom ,if ever ,dark meat as people feel to be healthy it has to be low fat chicken breast.  Even the steak is lean so this creates an issue since when you remove carbs you need to up the fat intake and the current view of eating can make that more difficult than is should be.

Here is how I ate for the second week.  I should add where I list a snack it is not for snaking all day but just an item or two I may have had between meals if for some reason a meal went out longer than planned or may have eaten at the end of the day if dinner was early.

Day 8
Breakfast – MPC, 3 fried eggs and a piece of cheese
Lunch – Salad (Seared steak, Mixed Greens, Portobello Mushrooms, Tomatoes W/Balsamic Vinaigrette)
Snack – Small helping of mixed nuts (No Peanuts) and a Meat Stick
Dinner – Mix of ground pork and seasonings with broccoli, Slaw mix, Cauliflower all mixed together and heated and toped with Parmesan Cheese.

Day 9
Breakfast – MPC, Egg scramble with spinach and bacon
Lunch – Salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes, egg, carrots, cheese and an oil & vinegar dressing
Dinner – Salad of mixed greens, cucumber, kale, carrots, radishes with Oil and Balsamic Vinegar with a side of fresh chicken in butter.
Snacks -  Small amount of mixed nuts, pork rinds, 2 meat stick

Sausage Link, Eggs and Kale and Onions

Day 10
Breakfast – MPC,  Egg Scramble w/Spinach and Bacon,  No Grain Porridge w/Walnuts (See Week 1 Post for Recipe)
Lunch – 2 Pork Patties with Cranbery/Walnut/Apple Salad (Probably a little more fruit than usual for the TWT but went with it as it was what we had.)
Snacks – Meat sticks and Pork Rinds
Dinner – Ground Pork, Onions, Cole Slaw mix sautéed & 3 Prosciutto and cheese wraps

Day 11
Breakfast – MPC , Ran 5.6 miles then had a sausage with sautéed Kale & onions w/ a couple fired eggs
Lunch - 1 Prosciutto and cheese wrap and a serving of Chocolate/Coconut Primal Fuel
Dinner – Brussels Sprouts cooked with bacon and bacon fat and 1 Chicken Sausage topped with Parmesan cheese
Snacks – Pork Rinds

Brussel Sprouts W/Bacon and Sausage

Day 12
Breakfast – MPC – then ran 5.6 miles
Lunch – 2 of the Real Good Pizzas
Snacks – Meat Stick and few mixed nuts
Dinner – Stir Fry with Lamb meet and mixed veggies

Day 13
Breakfast - MPC & a serving of Chocolate/Coconut Primal Fuel
Lunch – Tuna Salad with Romaine lettuce and an Avocado, with Pork Rinds on the Side – Fat shot from  Adapt Your Life (has small amount of cashews in it which is not on the TWT list but was a very small amount and carbs were very low in shot)
Dinner – Mixed veggies and Park Roast
Snack – A few freeze dried apples – not the best for the TWT but only a few and not as big an issue for what I am using the TWT for

Day 14
Breakfast – MPC before 8 miler then had a sausage link and 3 fried eggs
Late Lunch/Dinner – Smoked Turkey, Lettuce, Pickles, Onions, Tomatoes, Home Made Cranberry/Orange Spread, ½ a Home Made Wheat Sourdough Roll, Butter, Apple salad – As tis was my last day had a few extras to start the coming off the TWT.  Even had a slice of Homemade Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll
Snack – Pork Rinds, mixed nuts & 1 Prosciutto and cheese wrap

Well that was the week, sorry not as many pictures.  As I said in the beginning this was not exactly the same TWT as I did a year ago, but very close.  I was not as strict on a few fruit items but still worked to keep carbs down and as little sugar as possible.  End result is that I am where I want to be going forward to be at a LCHF way of eating for the year ahead.  I also can see that super low carbs for me does not work as even though I was not running until the last week my energy levels were OK but not where they should have been.  My body just seems to need a little more in the way of carbs than say a Ketogenic diet provides, but that is me – N=1.

The main take away is that you can lower their carb in take and make it a sustainable diet.  The usual claim by many who questions a LCHF way of eating, I want to avoid the "D" word where I can, is that even if it is good it is not sustainable.  Now that may be true if you are an average 21st century individual who rarely eats real food and lives on processed offerings but with some effort, and not much at that, you can be lower carb than the average person and actually much lower without a lot of fuss.

Weekly RunDown #12

I do not know John Morelock and up until a few days ago had not heard his name, that said he is well known in the trail and ultra running community.  John has recently been diagnosed with incurable cancer and will have the numerous medical bills to deal with and as a way to help out you can buy his book "Run Gently Out There".  You can find a link to the book and info on this here: Support John Morelock – Run Gently Out There or here is his book at Amazon: Run Gently Out There.  I have not read the book but it gets great reviews and I have mine on the way please buy yourself a copy.

In case you do not already go there here is This Week in Running: November 21, 2016 at iRunFar

Good article on Jim Walmsley in light of his record at the JFK 50 Miler: Jim Walmsley's Sudden Rise to the Top of Ultrarunning

And here is one on the race, as well as what you will have seen at iRunFar above: Walmsley Redefines What's Possible in JFK 50 Mile

Looks like he is starting out well:  Eat Like an Elite:Drew Hunter and 10 Others in HIs Immediate Family

Ok, by now most everyone has probably seen the video of the guy getting hit by a deer during a X-Country race, if not you can see it here or in the following article, so here is an interview with him: What It's Like to be Run Over by a Deer During a Race & and here is a video interview with the runner

Here are links to the NCAA X-country action this past weekend:  Mens 2016 NCAA D1 X-Country Championships Recap  & Women's 2016 NCAA D1 X-Country Championship Recap.  Here is the Runner World article on the Men's race & the Women's Race.

Interesting article on strengthening your feet that was shared by Mark Cucuzzella of the Natural Running Center. on FB the other day.   Not saying we all need to run in Vibram shoes, I do not, but more about how to deal with foot issues other than just relying on the standard ways of using orthotics or standard stability shoes.  If they work for you that is great, they do not for me. This is the reason I am working on making sure I walk more in my Xero Sandals and shoes as well as running in them when I can:  Study Demonstrates Vibram FiveFingers Will Strengthen the Feet 

Along the same lines, Xero shoes is having a sale that ends Dec 4th at 11:59 Eastern Time and the Umara Z-Trials are 50% off.

Check out the Natural Running Centers USAF Efficient Running Course  - There are 3 Modules and a number of short videos in each.  This is what Dr. Mark Cucuzzella teaches and uses himself.  Mark, at 50, just ran the JFK 50 miler in 8:31 running in sandals the whole way as well as for the first 43 miles running at a HR <100.

Thanks to Mario Fraioli and his The Morning Shakeout for pointing me to an online magazine I had not seen before.  While having a focus on New England running there is good stuff here for everyone :  Level Renner


Principles of Natural Running with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella




Jamil Coury talks about his getting ready for The Barkley Marathons about 5 months from when he did the video




And in case you missed it here is a short documentary on The Barkley.  You can also watch the full length documentary The Barkley Marathons: The Race that Eats its Young online on Netflix or buy it.




The High Pass:  Trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal




5 Things We Can All Learn From Elite Runners with Budd Coates

Weekly RunDown #11

Good videos from CHI Running on 3 Mistakes That Keep You From Being a Better Runner.  The third video is not up yet but you can see it here: 3rd Video .  If you are interested in CHI Running, and in the Elizabethtown KY area, Will Rivera of Running Soles is having a Level 1 Class this weekend (Nov 19th, 2016) and there are some spots open so just check with store or contact them via the Running Soles Facebook page.

Some thoughts on when to exercise - It Matters What Time you Exercise: Muscles Have Circadian Rhythm.

Want to see how your times compare based on age then check out the Runners World Age Graded Calculator.  It shows that my current 5K is better than my longer distance times on an age graded basis.

iRunFar's week in running with a focus on the IAU 50K World Championships in Doha, Qatar where the US won the Mens Individual and Team  championship and the the US women won the Team Championship.  There is also a preview of the JFK 50 miler that is this weekend - 11/19/16.  There will be a lot of good runners there but will be interesting to see how fast Jim Walmsley will go.

In case you have never visited LetsRun.com here is there The Week That Was (WTW) for the past week:  WTW: NCAA Regional Surprises, A New (Elvis) Marathon WR, Josh McDougal Joins The Army, and Usain Bolt Calls for Lifetime Bans for Dopers as the Russians Call for Jail Time

November is National Running Safety month.   Visit your local running store for needed safety gear.  If you are near Elizabethtown KY visit Will Rivera at Running Soles for a great selection of gear.

An article on the difference between "aerobic" and "endurance" training - RUNNERS: “AEROBIC TRAINING” IS NOT THE SAME AS “ENDURANCE TRAINING.” 

Need a tough challenge maybe you need to try one of Asia's 5 Toughest Ultramarathons.

Maybe you want to run a 100 or 50 miler in the United Kingdom, then go check out Centurion Running.

Cadence and running is one of those areas that can be hard to get a handle on.  Here are a number of articles on the subject:

• Cadence: Put a New Spin in Your Running
• Kenyans, Cadence, and Ground Contact Time
• Understanding Stride Rate and Stride Length
• Heel Striking, Overstriding, and Cadence.

Can You Run a Marathon in Under 3 Hours at Age 50 on Bacon and Eggs and in Sandals?   You sure can as Mark Cucuzzella of the Natural Running Center ran 2:55:26 at the Marine Corps Marathon this past October 30th.

Just as a note, as I posted it yesterday, I have posted some info on my first week of doing the Maffetone Two Week Test (TWT).  This is the second time I have done this and this time is more of a kick start to the up coming training after a few weeks off for a pinched nerve in my back: Two Week Test - LCHF Reset - Week 1


Trailer for Billy Yangs new film on Timothy Olson's run at the 2016 Hardrock 100




Are you into descending - The video is in Spanish but I think you get the idea:)  Read the text below the video on the YouTube site to see more about this race.




Short video on Jim Walmsley




Cool footage of trail running




Super Starches with Sunny Blende | Altra Run Talks Episode 7

Two Week Test – LCHF Reset – Week 1

I first did a Two Week Test (TWT) about a year ago and had no issues till I was coming off the no carbs, probably went a little too much too fast.  But all in all it was not that bad a two weeks as compared to some other 1-2 week protocols I have tried before, like a juice only one.  It also confirmed my issues with wheat products, that they often give me gas.  I also found that the TWT was a good way to get started on a LCHF diet.  By the way for me LCHF means – Lower Carb Higher Fat as my general intake of carbs is much lower than most but not as low as man that hold to a LCHF diet

So why am I doing the test again?  Well first is to see if they’re any changes in how I react to carbohydrates of various kinds.  Also, over the last month or so my LCHF diet had been gaining more carbs for a number of reasons.   Lastly, as I had been dealing with a pinched nerve in may back and some other issues that led to shutting it down for the end of the season and taking a few weeks off, ending just before Thanksgiving, it just seemed like a good time to sort of do reset.  

I will be posting two parts for this test, Week 1 and Week 2, so as to give an idea of what I ate during it.  As the TWT is not a diet but as its name says, “a test” once done I will go back to my LCHF diet to get ready for some up coming ultras.

Here are a few staples of my TWT:

MPC – Modified Phil’s Coffee – Approx 25 Ozs

• 1 Tbsp -  KerryGold Butter - I use the salted based on what we buy and price but if the salt bothers you, it does not me, you can use the unsalted,
• 1 Tbsp – Coconut Oil - I use the Organic Unrefined type as there is less processing and I do not really taste the coconut that much and even if I did it is not a big deal
• 1 - Egg, I try to keep to Organic Pasture raised, when ours our laying I get really fresh eggs, but since the coffee is hot a regular egg is probably OK but does not have the nutrients of the Pasture raised ones.
• 2 Scoops of Collagen Hydrolysate - About 3 Tbsp for this size drink - Use the Hydrolysate type as it is a good all around one as it will mix in cold and hot liquids
• About 2-3 Tbsp of heavy cream, to taste
• Coffee - Enough to make the 25oz, or so, drink.  I use a number of brands but probably use the Speedgoat Karl's 100 Mile Blend the most
• I do at times add a small amount of Xylitol for taste but less often while on the TWT
• While I do not do this on the TWT at other times I will add a square of 85% dark chocolate for taste
• Blend together - I use a Quart Mason Jar and a Stick blender - I take the jar and stick blender on all my travels as it makes it easy to make a drink on the road.

Porridge Mix

• ½ cup Flax Meal
• ½ cup ground chia seeds
• 1 cup Coconut flour
• 1 cup unflavored gelatin
• ½ cup Psyllium husks
• ½ tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together For Porriage:  Place 3 Tabls of mix in a bowl and ad hot water to desired consistency.  If you want it sweetened you can add Stevia or Xylitol and flavor it as well with Vanilla Extract.  Also, you can make it more substantial by adding  nuts, hemp seeds sunflower seeds pumpkin seeds, butter or coconut oil


Muffin Mix, uses Porridge Mix

• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• ¼ tsp Vanilla
• 3 Tbsp of Porridge Mix
• 1/32 – 1/16 tsp of Stevia powder – to taste

Mix together well and pour in a small greased cup or ramekin and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes or Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Then serve and I like to top with a nice slab of butter

Go To Snacks

• Pork Rinds
• Meat Sticks – make sure to read labels to check that there is no added sugar or fillers
• Pretty much my drinks are limited to the MPC, regular coffee and water.

Sheep Neck Roast W/Asparagus

Day 1

• Breakfast – MPC
• Lunch – Sheep Steak W/Coleslaw and Onions
• Snack – Pork Rinds and Parmesan Chips
• Dinner – Sheep Neck Roast and Asparagus (sautéed in butter, olive oil and salt)
• Snack – ½ a Primal Coconut bar

Day 2

• Breakfast –MPC, Scrambled Eggs W/Bacon, Arugula and Avacado
• Snack – Small bowl of Almond Butter (w/no added sugar)  
• Lunch – Steak Salad w/Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing



Eggs, Bacon, Arugula and Avocado

• Dinner -  Broccoli slaw with Chicken and a couple Meat sticks (no filler and only 1g of carbs)

Day 3

• Breakfast –MPC, 2 Fried Eggs and a Grain Free Muffin W/Butter 
• Lunch – We were out and the family was eating at Arby’s so I settled for a Fajita and just ate the fixin’s which worked out well as all was good except maybe the Colby jack and it was minimal                                                                                      
• Dinner – Real Good Pizza and Salad (Spinach, Arugula, Broccoli Slaw mix, Tomatoes, Avocado, Parmesan Chips, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar)

Day 4 

• Breakfast –MPC, Scrambled Eggs W/Bacon, Arugula onions topped with Avocado                    
• Lunch – Salad (Salmon, Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Asparagus, Broccoli Slaw mix, Tomatoes, Parmesan Chips,  w/Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar                          
• Snack – Almond Butter (no added sugar) and Meat stick



Spinach - Asparagus Salad with Salmon 

• Dinner -  Soup (Kale, Spinach, Arugula, Chicken, Asparagus, Rotella) W/Pork Rinds                                          

Day 5

• Breakfast - MPC,  Porridge Mix with Pecans and a serving of Chocolate/Coconut Primal Fuel – as a note if you belong to Thrive they usually have a good price on the Primal Fuel.  The Primal Fuel only has 9G of Carbs per serving but if subtract out the finer it is at 5G.
• Lunch - Soup (Kale, Spinach, Arugula, Chicken, Asparagus, Rotella) 
• Dinner - Lamb Steaks W/Broccoli and Butter and Pork Rinds on the side.

Day 6

• Breakfast – MPC, Omelet W/Onions, Peppers and Pepper Jack inside and topped with Avocado and Bacon
• Lunch – 2 Sausages sautéed in Olive Oil and topped with Monterey Jack Cheese



Omelet

• Dinner – Not real hungry so had a couple of the Real Good Pizzas

Day 7

• Breakfast – MPC, 2 Fried Eggs, Sautéed greens and Turkey bacon
• Lunch – Left over soup from day 4 but added in some left over broccoli
• Snack – Pork Rinds
• Dinner – Walnut Salad with Cranberries and Apple w/Balsamic Vinegar dressing (Probably a little higher in sugar in fruits than needed but did went with it), Side of Ham

Well one week done, one to go.  Not really that bad but since I my carb intake was already lower than when I took the TWT before it was to be expected that things would not be as difficult.  My weight has stayed the same, which is good as I am at the end of my 3 weeks off from running to get rid of an issue with a pinched nerve in my back.  That being taken care of I start up running again Monday, which is Day 11 of the TWT so should not be an issue.  Other than wanting something sweet to offset the more savory food I have eaten the TWT is really fairly simple.  However I can see how if one is realty tied to carbs this can be more difficult, especially the lack of bread and sugar.

Next week I will post the last week of the TWT.  Not sure yet if I will make this a 13 day test, as Thanks giving ends up being day 14, or just suck it up and do my best to on Thanksgiving.  As I am traveling two days after Thanksgiving I am thinking I will bring in an item or two on Thursday as the last time I came off the TWT I had some intestinal issues as I came off too quickly.  As it is we are having some sourdough rolls that are home made with fermented grains so they do not affect me the same as other grains.

More to come……..

Link to Week 2

Weekly RunDown #10

Michael Wardian gets the record for best average for all 6 major marathons in one year at 2:31:09 - Wardian Sets Quirky Endurance Record in New York & When Gluttony Dons Racing Shoes.  Here are his times in each race with the dates of each:

• Tokyo 2:28:14  -  Feb 27, 2016
• Boston 2:31:39  -  April 24, 2016
• London 2:27:27 - April 18, 2016
• Berlin 2:28:19 - Sept 25, 2016
• Chicago 2:32:02 - Oct 26, 2016
• NYC 2:33:18 - Nov 6, 2016

The week in ultra-running from iRunFar - week of Nov 1st - 1Nov 7th, 2016.  Also, 2016 IAU Trail World Championships Results

Steve Speirs 2016 Javelina Jundred Recap.  Gives you yet another look at this race and the heat everyone faced.

Jack Braughton, one of Britain’s oldest athletics Olympians, dies aged 95: "On Saturday July 31, 1948, Jack Braughton took the morning off work and caught the No.12 bus from Peckham Rye to Wembley Stadium. The fare was 2½d and he lost half a day’s pay. He was off to the Olympic Games – to run for Great Britain in heat one of the 5000m"

The Importance of Rest: Sleep Tips for Athletes by Jeff Browning

Dialing in Heart Rate by Zach Bitter - Goes along with the Endurance Planet Podcast from last week  - Dr. Phil Maffetone & Zach Bitter: Elite Runner Taking on MAF, Phil’s Assessment, Progressing and Customizing Everything (Even Diet!) For Best Results

Interesting article on sports drinks: You've been sold a myth about sports drinks - and it could be slowing you down.  Along the lines of dealing with hydration Dr. Tim Noakes book Waterlogged is an interesting read on the subject of hydration

Ian Sharman's look at the Top 10 Male Ultra Performances of All Time as of January 2016.  So as not to leave anyone out here is his list of the Top 10 Female Ultra Performances of All Time.

Ever heard of or wondered about "Dry Needling" here is some info on it:  Fed up Being Injured? Will Dry Needling Work For You?

Don't forget that if you want a low carb pizza you may want to try Real Good Pizza (yes it is a referral link) with only 4gms of Carbs in a 5" pizza.  If you want to try them I have a coupon code you can use: BGRUNNER10 .   If you have any trouble getting the 10% off let me know.


Speaking of Michael Wardian




If you missed the 2016 New York Marathon you can catch it here





Jamil Coury's (Ultra Runner and race director of the Javelina Jundred, as well as other races for Aravaipa Running) run at New York this year.  If you are wondering about the crop top you have to see some other Run Steep Get High videos, however it does bring back memories of my running days in the later 70's:)





The Javelina Jundred 2016



The Ginger Runner interviews Pete Kostelnick

Time For Review - Looking at the Path Ahead

If you are like me you plan your races and do them come what may.  The problem with that philosophy is it can be detrimental to your health if you are not careful. I am not talking about backing out of a race due to under-training or out of fear you will not do as you would like but when you have a health issue.  We are so ingrained with the “gut it out” mentality that often we do more damage than good from being “tough”.

Well that ended up being the case for the end of this year.  After what seemed like a really good 3-4 months of training I hurt my foot running a not so technical trail at the end of August that led to missing a trail ½ marathon I had been looking forward to in September.  Not running the race, while not what I wanted to do, was necessary as I could not run much at all due to the pain in my foot.  So I took time off and figured I would get ready for the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis in November.  Training was OK, not what I wanted, but all things considered it was going well.  Then I came down with the flu and was in bed for 36 hours with the result being when I got up I had a pinched nerve in my back that sent shooting pains down my right leg and caused my right knee to be a little week.  After some more time off and a few Chiropractor visits I thought all was good for the marathon with a week to go.  Well, I wake up 5 days from the race and once again my pinched nerve is back and I have a hard time walking without a shooting pain, let alone try and run.  I had thought about waiting a day or so to call things off but being honest with myself even if my back felt better by then it would not be wise for my long term health to run a marathon which is hard enough on ones body as it is let alone with a nerve issue.  Basically that led me to just call it a wrap for the year and take a few weeks off so as to then start up again to get ready for some races in March and April of 2017.

This leads me to what is truly important and that is taking the time to review the year and see if I could have avoided the way the year ended and seek to plan for the year ahead.  I have been running for 43+ years but to this day I still have issues with not getting things just right and it usually comes from not being as focused I should be on the overall picture.   One of the problems that can stem from running slower and focusing on MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) is that you can tend to think you’re fine while the reality may be that you are still overdoing it.  While MAF training indeed can help you avoid injury it does not guarantee you will not over-train.  You can still run too much too soon and while you may not crash and burn as in the past when you were running too much too fast you can start to run so close to the edge that it does not take much to go over the edge.

In reviewing the preceding 5 months, before I got hurt running a fairly easy trail, I found I had run the following mileage:

• April - 125
• May - 157
• June - 189
• July - 195
• August – 229 (Including 20,000 ft Climbing to get ready for a trail race)
• September – 97.6

I share this not to pat myself on the back, hey many run much more, but because I should have seen
this was too much too soon based on my past year of running.  While I felt good the mileage increase left me vulnerable to injury or sickness and that is exactly what took place.  As some background my usual plan of attack is to run 3-4 higher mileage weeks, in this case 50 or so miles, running 5 days a week then take one week and run less mileage, 30 or so miles, and then repeat that.  My big mistake was in not looking at the cumulative affect, monthly mileage/hours, and the bigger picture.  I should have leveled off my monthly mileage and not kept letting it go up.  Hey, I felt good and was not running too fast, well at least did not feel that fast, so what could go wrong.  I had a few good 5ks mixed in there and some good long runs so all seemed well.  Till, as they say, the wheels fell off.

 Now that I think I have seen where I erred so what’s next.  Well the next step is to come up with a revised plan to help avoid the errors of the past year in the coming year.  With a 50 miler planned for March 2017, Land Between the Lakes, and a 50K in April 2017, Yamacraw 50, I need to work to not be injured by the time I get there but also trained as well as  rested.  The plan is to make sure I not only look at my weekly mileage/hours but also monthly totals o my mileage/hours are the most beneficial and not working to injury.

Another aspect I want to work on this coming year is some form of cross training consisting of using my bike trainer and also some lifting.   Using the bike to get MAF aerobic training in without the stress on my legs and the weight lifting to work some sorely under developed muscle groups which also may have contributed to my problems this year.  With all of this I need to make sure I do not slack on my active stretching and exercises to work my hips and such.  I am also going to take some easy days and run a mile or two in my Xero sandals to help strengthen my feet which I think is important.

That said I also am contemplating running less short runs, and with the cross training running less days, at least for some weeks.  For example I would be running 3-4 days getting in 40 miles with a day or two on the bike, still working to keep my workout days to 5.  As I am working towards a 50 miler I think running longer when I run and resting more instead of filling up those extra days with shorter millage may be beneficial.  The following would lead to a typical week looking something like this:

• Monday – 8-12 miles (65 – 110 Minutes) @ MAF
• Tuesday – 10 – 20  Miles Bike (35 – 70 minutes) @ MAF & some Weights
• Wednesday – 10 Miles (80 – 90 Minutes) @ MAF
• Thursday – 10  Miles bike (35 minutes) @ MAF & some Weights
• Friday – 15 – 20 Miles (120 – 180 Minutes) @ MAF
• Saturday and Sunday Rest or maybe do the long run here and rest Friday and Sunday
• Totals – 33 - 40 Miles Running (270 – 360 Minutes) /20 30 Miles Bike (70 – 105  Minutes)
• A rest week would be much like above but lower mileage and minutes.

As I get closer to the 50 miler I want to do a couple back to backs so they would look like this:

• Monday – 10 Mile Bike – (35 minutes) @ MAF & some Weights
• Tuesday – Rest
• Wednesday – 10 Mile Bike – (35 minutes) @ MAF & some Weights
• Thursday – Rest
• Friday – 20 -25 Miles (160 – 240 Minutes) @ MAF
• Saturday – 20 – 25 Miles (160 – 240 Minutes) @ MAF
• Sunday – Rest
• Totals – 40 Miles Running (320 – 480 Minutes) /20 Miles Bike (70 Minutes)
• This type of week would then be followed by an easy week with Monday and Tuesday off.

Of course these are just some thoughts on what I may do to work to keep my miles and time working out at a place that gets me ready for my racing but also keeps me healthy.  Another key to this is to not create a schedule that is written in stone and working to keep to it no matter what.  Yes I do need to make sure I get the work in but I also need to be flexible enough to adjust things as I go along.

I hope this post, if it has done anything, has made you think about looking over your training from the last year and seeing how you could improve it.  Don’t take my plan and use it but develop one for yourself.  I do want to encourage you to work on MAF training (see my article here: MAF: What is it?) as I feel it is a great way to train if ones health is a top priority.

Plan for what is ahead and be ready to adjust as need be.  Also, as I need to, make sure to re-evaluate on a regular basis during the year so you can see how things are going.

As the year progress I will work to update how things are going with practicing what I preach.

Weekly Rundown #9

Interesting article as I have found this true myself.  Back in the late 70's early 80's I could run a 15:30 5K or 31+ 10k and get 20th in a race but today that is often in top places.  When I ran my PR for the marathon (3:30:52) in the 1978 Fiesta Bowl Marathon I was 34th and in looking at the Boston results from 2016 I would have gotten around the same place.  Of course there are runners getting faster but the point of the article is that overall times appear to be getting slower;  The Great Slowing of the American Runner

Zack Bitter not only won this years Javelina Jundred he broke the course record despite 94F temps, at least that is what I saw on Weather.com.  If you are from my neck of the woods, South Central KY, our own Will Rivera , owner of Running Soles in Elizabethtown, struggled with dehydration lap 3 but came back to finish in 34th ( 21:58:48)and get his qualifier for  The Western States 100.  YOu can read more about the Javelina Jundred and other races this weekend at iRunFar.

Speaking of Zack Bitter he was on this weeks Endurance Planet Podcast.  This was a great interview with lots of good info and insights: Dr. Phil Maffetone & Zach Bitter: Elite Runner Taking on MAF, Phil’s Assessment, Progressing and Customizing Everything (Even Diet!) .

Interview with Jim Ryan

Jim Walmsley's report on his Grand Canyon R2R2R FKT which also included an FKT for R2R.

Good article by Mark Cucuzzella that applies to any marathon and to running in general: Semper Fly - How to Run the Marine Corps Marathon 2016

A plug for two of the races I am doing in the new year:  Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler & Yamacraw 50K

Anyone tried one of the TrueForm Runner Treadmills.  I like the idea of no electricity being used not so much the price even though it may be worth it.   This is the other treadmill I am looking at if I come across some extra cash:) -  Boston Marathon 3.0


Interview with Zack Bitter after the 2016 Javelina Jundred




If 100 miles is not enough and you want to see some really beautiful countryside then run the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run. REGISTRATION OPENS on Nov. 5 at 9am PST for the Sept 8-12, 2017 event




Diamond to the Rough - Official Trailer

Diamond To The Rough - Official Film Trailer from Myles Smythe on Vimeo.


Yading Skyrun in China

Weekly RunDown #8 (Oct 28, 2016)

If you are on a LCHF diet or just want a good healthy pizza for a quick snack you may want to try Real Good Pizza (yes it is a referral link) with only 4gms of Carbs in a 5" pizza.   The crust is made of chicken and parmesan cheese and is quite tasty.   They are a little more than your usual store bought pizza but have better ingredients than most and for their size are fairly filling.  They deliver to your door in a foam container packed with dry ice to keep them cold.  If you want to try them I have a coupon code you can use: BGRUNNER10 .   If you have any trouble getting the 10% off let me know.

OK now for the info you were waiting for:)

If you were in a hole somewhere you may have missed it but Pete Kostelnick broke the Transcontinental Record by averaging 72 miles a day

Another article on Pete's run across the US: How to Run Across the Country Faster than Anyone

It does not get any easier when you move up to the 60-64 age group:  A Remarkable Masters Marathon Record.

Good article on Super Masters runner Ed Whitlock - Age Is No Barrier

More masters info as there were fast times in Syracuse NY at the Syracuse Festival of Races October 2nd.

From getting a lot of notice in the 2016 US Olympic Trials for his "unconventional" looks while getting last place in 31:02.99 Noah Droddy moved up to 2nd place at the USATF 10 Mile Championships in 47:28, a good story of sticking with it.

Can't get into the Hardrock 100 well there are 6 Southwest Colorado Trail Races you could enter instead.

Want to run a winer marathon and can travel here are some to think about:  Top Winer Marathons in the US

While on the topic of lists what would be your bucket list of marathons?  Here is a list someone put together, never thought to Tokyo as being on my list:  Bucket List Marathons & Here is a list of The 30 Best Marathons in the World, well at least as far as that site is concerned.  Leave a comment as to your list and I will compile a list for a later Weekly Rundown.

Photo's if the 2016 Spartan Race World Championships at Lake Tahoe on October 1st

Lots of videos this week, hope you enjoy them:

The ITU 2016 Trail World Championships take place this weekend (Oct 29th) in Portugal.  The 85K  (53 Miles) point to point course has 4680M  (over 15,000 feet) of climbing.



Trailer for Billy Yang's new Film: "Life in a Day.  Also lots of good stuff at Billy Yang Films




Previously I had the edited version of Jim Walmsley's Grand Canon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim.  Well for those of you, like me, that just like to see more of the trails here is a longer unedited version.




For those of you that have not checked out The Ginger Runner YouTube Channel here is a video he did on his first 100 miler called Amongst the Evergreens.



Video on 4 runners in the 2016 Leadville 100



Salomon video The Canyon

Weekly RunDown #7 (Oct 21, 2016)

As if running a 2:31 marathon was not hard enough:  Calum Neff Breaks Stroller Marathon Record


Even more incredible is running 3:56:33 at age 85 - Ed Whitlock runs sub-4:00 marathon at 85

Good article on developing ones aerobic system:  WHAT THE HELL IS THE AEROBIC SYSTEM? PART 1  (Part II is still to come)

Here is a helpful podcast over at Endurance Planet:  Tapering with MAF, What Else to Add to Your Training Log, More Recovery for Masters Athletes, and More (ATC 220)

Mario Fraioli’s Morning Shakeout for the week.  TUE’s (Therapeutic Use Exemptions) appear to be clearly the way many are finding a backdoor to improve performance “legally.”

Rickey Gates writes on A Day in the Life of Pete Kostelnick as he attempts to break the transcontinental record.

The Javelina Jundred will join the Ultra-Trail World Tour as a Future Race in 2016.  For those of you who know Will Rivera of the Running Soles store in Elizabethtown KY he is running this race on Oct 29-30.




Another Javelina Jundred video from 2014

A look at a day in the life of Pete Kostelnick's transcontinental record attempt

Here is a video of Ed Whitlock at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this past weekend.

Highlights of this past weeks  (Oct. 16, 2016) Amsterdam Marathon




A little humor for the day

OFM – MET – LCHF: What’s It All Mean

I am not going to try and cover a full explanation of all the acronyms in the title but do

hope to shed some light on them as best I can and spur your interest to look into the subject more in depth on your own.

First what are they:

• OFM – Optimized Fat Metabolism
• MET – Metabolic Efficiency Training
• LCHF – Low Carb High Fat 

And one added one that I already wrote on here – What is MAF?

• MAF – Maximum Aerobic Function

First let me say that these all work together and need to be seen as such.  It is also important to see how working towards, say OFM, may look different for each person as while there may be some universal principles one can apply in general as we are all different in various ways how the above apply to an individual may differ.

I will start by trying to show how these work together.  To begin with it is important to know where you want to go and then you can set a path to get there.  That is where OFM comes into play, as it is an outcome to achieve.  This outcome can actually be part of a bigger goal, and it should be, such as being having a goal of longevity in running and good health or maybe being able to run longer and even faster.  With all of these top end goals OFM is a way to get there.

As an aside - OFM is not new, the acronym and name be, as the idea that one's running can benefit from burning fat has been known for some time.  When I began to run marathons back in the late 70's I read about how to help burn fat early in a race you could take caffeine pills.  Caffeine was supposed to help with the fat burning so we took No-Doze to try and minimize the affects of the other ingredients in the coffee on our system.  Looking back the problem with this was that this was also when "Carboloading" was the rage and thus we probably negated much of what the caffeine was to accomplish by stuffing our faces with carbohydrates as many of us did for the days before a race.  The point though is that the use of fat a fuel is not a new idea but maybe is now being seen more as a main source rather than being used simply to delay the onset of crashing due to low carbohydrate supplies.

Next, would come MET as a way to achieve OFM via a training plan that helps one best use fat and thus have an efficient metabolism.  I hope you see how we in truth need to separate out these terms to see how they work together holistically.  Thus, we have gotten to where, as part of the bigger picture, we want to best OFM and to do so we need to employ MET.

Then we get to the methods used to train, the tools we use.  One tool I use is MAF and as I have written on this before I will not spend much of time here.  Basically one of the benefits of MAF, aside from building a great aerobic base and minimizing the damage of running too hard is that it also helps one train their body to burn fat.  So in this case MAF is a great tool to use in ones MET to reach the goal of OFM.

Lastly, well lastly in the case of this short article, is LCHF which is yet another tool to reach OFM.  Is it the only tool, no, but it is in my opinion an important place to look into.  Let me add here that for me LCHF actually is probably better seen as being – Lower Carb – Higher Fat.  I use the terms “lower” and “higher” since if you do much reading you will find that LCHF can range from being in Ketosis to simply being much lower than the average person, or in this case, athlete.  Even within the LCHF realm there is a lot of conversation about what is the right amount of carbs for a person and if Ketosis is a place to be long term or if it is best achieved periodically.  One thing I would like to add here just to be clear;  I am convinced if you have an insulin resistance problem or other health issue related to sugar LCHF is very likely the answer.  For others of us LCHF is an excellent tool to help get to where we want to be with OFM by reducing ones carbohydrate intake and thus helping to move to better utilization of fat as an energy source.

While I think LCHF is a great tool you do need to see what works best for you as in my case I found if I am too low on carbs it does not have the affect I am looking for.  That said I am very low compared to most other runners I know.   

Most that I talk to about  going LCHF struggle with the idea of reducing carbs and this probably stems from all the indoctrination we have all had over the years that "High Carb” is important and especially for athletes.   For those that struggle I advise a couple things:

First is to take the Maffetone Two Week Test (TWT – sorry to add another acronym).  This is an extreme low card regimen for two weeks that is followed by strategically adding back carbs so one can see if they do have a particular issue with carbs or if maybe it is just some carbs that cause issues.  This is not really a diet but a means to find out what how your body reacts and deals with carbohydrates.  I found that in general I can handle carbs but if I get too much bread, for instance, it gives me intestinal issues, such as gas – sorry had to share that.  You may find other issues but it is a great tool to use to help dial in your eating habits. If you are interested in trying the TWT you can get info at the link at the start of the paragraph or here.

The second thing I suggest, if one just does not want to deal with lowering carbs yet, is to at the least work to eliminate as many processed foods as you can and work to eating real foods.   One affect of this will be that you will end up lowering your carb intake and the carbs you will be getting rid of are empty ones, ones you do not want as it is.  This will get you down the road to better health and will even more than likely help with your fat metabolism work.

I did not want this too be a long drawn out article but one that lets you see that as we learn things we have to realize where they fit in the scheme of things.  Such as OFM being a goal, actually part of a larger goal, with MET being a plan to get there and something like MAF and/or LCHF being tools to use to accomplish those goals.  When you see it as a continuum you can possibly not get so overwhelmed by the info out there.  Bottom line seek first better health and then you will see your running improve.  It may take time but most good things do.

Some other resources:

• What is OFM
• Success with OFM
• Metabolic Efficiency Training (MET) by Bob Seebohar
• Metabolic Efficiency – Becoming a “Better-Butter-Burner” by Sunny Blende, Sports Nutritionist
• Bob Seebohar and Dina Griffin: Metabolic Efficiency (Not Just ‘Low Carb’) for Optimal Sports Performance, What the Research Really Says, and More
• Tim Noakes and the Case for Low Carb
• Dr. Peter Brukner and LCHF
• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance by Volek and Phinney